'Live in a new world' with Intoart
and some more shows not to miss this summer
Intoart, a visual arts charity working with adults and young people with learning difficulties in Peckham, showing us everything that art and craft can be.
We stepped in to Intoart’s summer exhibition last weekend and it really was like stepping into a new world. The show celebrated all the ways art infiltrates our everyday life. The artists and makers work in a wide range of mediums; ceramics, textiles, paper and furniture design, exploring a huge range of themes and they’re all deeply invested in the transformative act of making itself.
“Art can be a spaceship, a mirror, a portal, or a petition. It imagines how things might be and challenges how things are. The exhibition ‘Live in a New World’ includes paintings, sculptures, textiles and prints that explore human connection, Disability representation and the materiality of popular culture. You’ll encounter imagery of pub signs and monster trucks, hip-hop royalty and roller coaster rides. Collectively, the artworks refuse to accept imposed limitations and offer portals to a more equitable and liveable new world.’’
Nancy Clayton’s larger-than-life textile paintings filled the space as you walked in, standing tall and soft even against the huge and industrial Copeland gallery. A grey day in the gallery had the acidy-bright colours that the artists use glowing. Nancy’s pink backdrops were really singing, highlighter colours highlighting a beautiful double portrait.
As always, we were drawn around the gallery by the textile works on show. Danielle Green’s illustrative ‘Banner of Supreme Authority’, screen printed on silk made expert use of an acidy yellow, not unlike the pieces we were lucky enough to have on show at Craft Show’s A Textile Assembly in May. Her intricate lines have you almost reading her pieces.
Lisa Trin’s Rose and Crown quilt hung banner-like in the room. It was easy to spend a long time in front of this one. At first glance, simply boldly screen printed but a few moments with it revealed hours of lively embroidered lines and appliqué. It was fun to learn later that expert embroiderer Lora Avedian, who is the queen of embroidered florals and roses, had helped Lisa actualise the piece, with the help of some QEST funding.
We still love ceramics, of course, and couldn’t resist Dawn Wilson’s ceramic drawings. Checkerboard tiled floors, flowing patterned skirts and a table full of flowers gently carved into the clay. Craft as storytelling at its very best.
As a part of the exhibition, we were really excited to hear a little more about Intoart’s new publications, a growing series of books on the artists working in their studio, beautifully designed and printed in the UK. Each one is a perfect pastel colour and we want them all.
Other shows not to miss this summer
School of Traditional Art’s degree show, on until 4th August. Serious crafts.
At Sutton House from 19th July - Lost by Schoolgirls: A display of 17th century papercuts, rediscovered by brilliant Dr Isabella Rosner.
Life Vessels at The Horse Hospital, new ceramics from Rose de Borman.
Dominique White: Deadweight at Whitechapel Gallery for ropes and textile-y structures.
Thread Count Part 2 is on until Sunday in Suffolk.
Primordial Soups for huge, milky Tessa Silva structures.
Quilting the Hawaiian Landscape in Oxford.
Need more Craft?
Lessons from the dolls house with Decorating Dissidence
Does anyone still have a studio in London?
‘Assemble to Honour’ - an incredible grief quilt
A virtual lecture on Hawaiian quilts
Don’t miss the launch of Issue 2 of A Yarn and Fibre Publication
Crochet a piece of nature with Kimberley Cookey Gam
Immaterial: Blankets and Quilts, talking to Loretta Pettway Bennett on the Gees Bend Quilts
Learn to crochet at The Feminist Library summer fayre
Craft bookshelf
Books about craft are a huge inspiration for us here at Craft Show. We're always on the look out for particularly good ones and have a real soft-spot for a 1970s craft book. You'll see their influence in our writing and when we get to teach and lead workshops.
Jenny Dean’s Wild Colour is a natural dye library of its own. She’s a natural dye legend and we’ve always wanted to join one of her courses at Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft.
The colour swatches and great big images of the plants itself make it such a useful and visual book. This is a scan of Rachael’s old and much loved copy but Chloe’s been after her own copy for years and finally treated herself for her birthday last week, make sure you’re following along with her natural dye journey on Palm Yarns, natural fibres and now, lots more natural colour.
Great read - love all your show and craft recs!